Cresendos of Change
by rougek9
Summary: Things are changing, rapidly. An X5 is just trying to forget the past, like everyone else. But in doing so she unlocks secrets to aide the others. MA LA pairings.(Not as bad as it sounds, I think. Reviews greatly appreciated)
1. Chapter 1

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Disclaimer: I wish I owned dark angel, but sadly this fantasy ain't real.

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The dew had only just cleared as a young girl of about seventeen walked purposefully in the morning air, yet her destination even to her was a complete mystery. Her breath froze before her and she pulled her long coat around her thin figure more tightly, wishing now that her gloves didn't stop at her knuckles. The world out here was so different to everything she had been told; then again what she had been told was all lies anyway. One fateful night had changed her life, and she could still feel the heat pressing down on her, threatening to suck away her breath. Looking at her un-scarred arm she could remember the flames dangerously licking her flesh. Confusion was the feeling that had racked her mind and body, of course fear was present, but being almost indestructible, fear became pretty unimportant.

Dancing amber eyes flecked with gold appeared from under long lashes and perfectly arched eyebrows. The sunlight gently touched her light blonde hair, giving an impression of her true colour, silver. She wore the long shimmering hair just passed her shoulders so to keep hidden, the mark on the nape of her neck. She wore black cargos, leather boots and black leather jacket, all concealed under her ankle-long coat. She had a guitar case on one shoulder and a bag on the other.

Feeling tired, she sat down outside an old, crumbling house, and it was a fairly empty street, so no one would hear. Then she gently took out the guitar as though it was a priceless antique and began to strum chords, closing her eyes. She closed her mind of from everything other than the music, including the eyes that watched from the seemingly deserted wreck of a house behind her. Slowly she began to sing, her voice so clear, sweet and pure.

"_People are afraid of what they don't get,  
anything that's different  
is just plain bad.  
Something outside their damned comfort zone  
is abnormal._"

The creature-like person inside listened to the words and his eyes grew, this figure seemed to be speaking almost directly to him. His dog senses sniffed the air, smelling a cat and wolf.

"_I used to think different was ugly,  
But now I see that it's gorgeous.  
The only thing that is ugly are peoples words  
But can no one tell me what this normal is?  
It's like trying to live by a criteria,  
You got to be this,  
You got to be that,  
What is this thing that I don't understand?_"

He nodded, understanding what she was saying and grew excited and almost went outside but then remembered what his friends said, he had to stay inside, most importantly during the day. But suddenly, the genetic side of him registered one of his own kind he raced to the door and shouted "Little one!"

The girl spun, her heart beating fast. Looking up to the house, she packed her guitar away and warily went to the steps of the house. It could've been a trap but for some unknown reason she followed the voice. The door swung open and she stepped in.

"Close it" Said the same, muffled voice.

"How do I know it's not some kind of sick trap?" she asked, "I might be able to run away before anything happens."

"Not trap. Joshua knows you X5. From Manticore."

The information hit her with astounded surprise and she kicked the door shut with her foot. Never the less she crouched into a prepared fighting position, preparing for what she didn't know. But as this Joshua stepped where she could see him, well, nothing had prepared her for that…

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I don't know, what do you guys think? I'm just wondering wether to continue or not, it was pretty much done while I was half asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

A huge thank you so much to my reviewers, now to the story, dun dun dun…

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…As he stepped out into the light she had to look up to study him; he was so much taller than she was. As she stared without control and he seemed to become embarrassed and turned his head away. His face was so dog like and yet so human like all at once. And his eyes were such a wonderful colour, not quite blue, not quite green or grey. And his long, slightly matted hair hung passed his shoulders. Then she snapped back to reality and looked to the ground, rubbing her neck.

Feeling greatly uncomfortable she asked, "So… Nice place, old, I like it." And she meant it too; old houses were so much more interesting.

He laughed and gave a toothy smile, baring his large canine teeth, "Fathers house." He spoke slowly as though words were new to him.

She looked at him; "You're not a Manticorian?"

"Me first. Special."

She frowned, "You were the first one they made?"

He nodded, "Sandeman. Father."

"Oh." She was slightly confused as to who this man was.

"Name?" he asked.

"Um…" she thought, "My designation is X5991"

He smiled, "Ah! I call you 991, little one. For now."

"Little one?" she raised an eyebrow.

"You smaller. Much smaller."

She felt like the ice had started to melt. His looks were obviously deceiving, as he seemed so gentle inside.

"Are you in hiding?" she asked.

Joshua nodded, "Yes. P-people out there," her motioned outside "are afraid of what they don't understand."

She looked at him and smiled, "You're right there."

He walked into what looked like an old sitting room and beckoned for her to follow, so she did. He sat on the floor and motioned for her to sit in the one chair that occupied the room.

"Thanks." She said, "Do you live here all on your own Joshua?"

"Y-yes." He replied, "Friends come and see me. Max. Alec."

"Cool." She reached into her bag and pulled out a chocolate bar and broke a piece off, "Want some?"

He made an excited sound that was half between and gurgle and a grunt. She laughed, popping the piece into her mouth and chucking him the rest. He held it in his hands as if it were worth gold, looking at her with round, surprised eyes.

"What? It ain't poison, it's yum."

"Yummy! Tricks and treats!" Joshua shouted as he devoured the candy.

She stood and brushed her hair out of her eyes and studied a painting nearby. "Wow, I like this." She had been about to ask who did it, but she spotted the name in the right hand corner. "Awesome." Was all she could say as she delved into the colours. "You like painting" was an obvious statement to say in the least.

Joshua nodded eagerly, "Keep me out of trouble." He pointed to the guitar case, "Keep little one out of trouble?"

She laughed, "Yeah pretty much."

"You sing again?" he asked her.

"What?" she was caught a little of guard, "Well actually, no one was supposed to hear me. See I was singing pretty quietly."

He nodded and she gently tweaked his ears, "Bet you got canine hearing, huh?"

He laughed and gently pulled away as though it had tickled, "Canine hearing. And smell." He sniffed the air, "Cat and wolf in your cocktail?"

"What?" she frowned and then said, "Oh, you mean in my DNA? Yeah."

"Cat and Wolf not like one another."

She looked away and said quietly, "Nah, they don't get along too well. They were injected by accident, at least the wolf part anyway."

Joshua seemed to have heard her regret and disdain and so changed the topic, "You play?"

She nodded, "Ok then. Want something lively?"

He nodded eagerly, and she could tell he had no idea what she meant. So instead of trying to foolishly explain, she picked it up and once again started strumming, just randomly and moving her fingers to the different chords with break-neck speed. Thus, giving it a fast, catchy tune. Joshua laughed and smiled, starting to tap his foot, almost uncontrollably. He looked back to her, then to the guitar and then back to her.

"Joshua paint!" he thumped the ground with his large hand which slightly stunned her, simply with his great enthusiasm.

She laughed as Joshua gathered a canvas and his paints in such and excited rush. Immediately he started to put the brush to ease and painted furiously. She craned her neck to see, but to no avail, so she turned and became intent on her guitar. A curtain of her light hair fell across her face as she bent close to it. She immediately lost all sense of time and when she snapped out of her trans-like state she looked around, Joshua was fast asleep on a small bed-roll next to an ancient fireplace. She then realised she had been playing slowly and gently, probably aiding him off into a deep slumber.

It was becoming fairly dark outside and a number of candles had been lit in the room to help the poor light of a lamp. There was no sight of the painting, so she sighed and went and found the back door, the night would be freezing, so she started gathering bits of stray wood and twigs in the hope of lighting a fire. But just as she had two arm fulls, a strong arm snaked around her throat, causing them to drop and scatter everywhere. And as the air left her lungs, a voice dripping with venom and suspicion whispered,

"Who the hell are you? And what are you doing?" but all she could do was silently curse who ever it was, for they had just caused all her hard work to be totally in vain. With anger kindled into a flame, she drew back her elbow and drove it sharply into the unknown persons side…

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Hope you like, please review and tell me what you peoples think.


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